News

Community campaign sees Rushworth finally strike gold

Rushworth Hospital will finally be rebuilt after the community’s long campaign for funding finally paid dividends today.

Ms Ryan told Parliament in May that the hospital should be funded after the Health Minister refused to meet with members of the community about the project.

“The Rushworth community deserves all the credit for this announcement,” Ms Ryan said.

“I congratulate all past and present members of the Rushworth Hospital Advisory Committee and make particular mention of Cass Alexander, John Barnett, Clem Furphy and Elizabeth Perry who have been working for literally years to get a new hospital for Rushworth.”

Ms Ryan said The Nationals had committed funding to rebuild the hospital before the change of government but the community was left bitterly disappointed after the Andrews Labor Government refused to pledge money for the hospital at the 2014 election.

“It has taken two solid years to get the Minister to pay any attention to the dire state of the hospital,” Ms Ryan said.

“At times we felt like it was falling on deaf ears, particularly after Labor’s failure to provide funding for the Waranga Hospital in its package for Goulburn Valley Health earlier in the year.

“However the community did not give up the fight and today they celebrate the results of some very hard work.

“I’d also like to pay tribute to the work of my predecessor, the former Member for Rodney Paul Weller who worked with the community to advance the project.”

The Rushworth campus of Goulburn Valley Health is more than 50 years old and in very poor condition, requiring high levels of ongoing maintenance at significant cost.

The remote location of the building is also cause for concern with the nearby Whroo Forest increasing threat of fire.

The $10 million redevelopment will relocate Rushworth’s old memorial hospital and nursing home to the Waranga Aged Care Hostel.